Linux commands are the backbone of the Linux operating system, enabling users to perform a wide variety of tasks efficiently. For beginners, understanding and mastering these commands is essential for navigating the Linux environment, managing files, and performing system operations. In this article, we’ve compiled the most useful Linux commands to help you get started with Linux and build a solid foundation for your Linux journey.
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Commonly Used Linux Commands
Here are some of the essential Linux commands that every beginner should know:
1. ls Command – List Contents of the Current Working Directory
The ls command is one of the most basic and frequently used commands in Linux. It lists all files and directories in the current working directory. To see more detailed information (permissions, file sizes, etc.), you can use ls -l.
2. cd Command – Change Directory
The cd command is used to navigate between directories. It allows you to change your current directory. To go back to the previous directory, you can use cd ...
3. touch Command – Create a New File or Directory
The touch command is used to create a new, empty file. To create an empty directory, use mkdir (explained below).
4. rm Command – Remove Files or Directories
The rm command is used to remove files or directories. Use it carefully, as deleted files cannot be recovered easily. To remove a directory and its contents, use rm -r directory_name.
5. mkdir Command – Create a New Directory
Use the mkdir command to create a new directory.
6. head Command – Print the First Few Lines of a File
The head command is used to display the first few lines of a file. By default, head shows the first 10 lines of the file.
7. tail Command – Print the Last Few Lines of a File
Similar to head, the tail command displays the last few lines of a file. For real-time monitoring of log files, use the -f option (e.g., tail -f /var/log/syslog).
8. echo Command – Print a String
The echo command is used to display a string or text in the terminal.
9. cat Command – Display the Contents of a File
The cat command is used to display the contents of a file. It’s often used to quickly view the file’s contents.
10. cp Command – Copy Files or Directories
The cp command is used to copy files or directories. You can use cp -r to copy a directory.
11. mv Command – Move or Rename Files or Directories
Use the mv command to move files or directories. It can also be used to rename files.
Disk Space Commands
12. df Command – Check Available Disk Space
The df command is used to display the available disk space in each partition of your system. The -h option displays the sizes in a human-readable format (KB, MB, GB). For more detailed output, you can use the -m option to show the space in megabytes.
13. du Command – Check Disk Usage of Files or Directories
The du command shows the disk usage of a specific file or directory. Use it to check how much space is being used by a particular file.
System Information Commands
14. hostname Command – Display the System’s Hostname
The hostname command is used to display the current hostname of the machine.
15. uname Command – Show System Information
The uname command provides information about the system’s kernel and hardware. For detailed system information, use the uname -a option.
16. ping Command – Check Network Connection
The ping command is used to check if a server or host is reachable over the network.
17. grep Command – Search for Text in Files
The grep command is used to search for a specific string or pattern in a file. It returns all the lines from the file that contain the specified string.
18. who Command – Display Who is Logged In
Use the who command to see which users are currently logged into the system.
19. ps Command – View Running Processes
The ps command is used to display the current running processes. It gives a snapshot of the processes running on your system.
20. kill Command – Terminate a Process
The kill command is used to terminate a running process by sending a signal to it. You can find the PID (Process ID) of a process using the ps command.
21. history Command – View Command History
The history command shows a list of previously executed commands, allowing you to easily re-run them.
Conclusion
Mastering these basic Linux commands will help you build a strong foundation and improve your productivity when working with Linux systems. Practice using these commands regularly, and as you become more comfortable, you can explore more advanced tools and techniques to further enhance your Linux skills.
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